Donald Trump wins US presidential election, softens blow with conciliatory speech

New York businessman Donald Trump will become the 45th president of the United States following a shock victory over Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election.

After a bitter and divisive campaign between the two candidates which left many voters unconvinced by the credentials of both, the American people decided that Trump was their man, and the country will have to wait for its first ever female leader.

Victories in key battleground states of Florida, Ohio and North Carolina pushed Trump over the 270 electoral college votes required for victory.

Financial markets went into meltdown early on Wednesday as it became clear that the Republican candidate would emerge victorious, with the Mexican Peso crashing over 10%, and the Dow index futures initially bombing over 600 points, although later in the morning had pared the worst of their losses.

Analysts painted a gloomy picture of how the global economy will deal with the unexpected development, including Naeem Aslam from Think Markets.

"The markets are quaking with the fear of the unknown," Aslam said. "As the core American values, which we have relied upon for many many years, come under threat due of the views which Donald trump holds, there are so many questions which need to be answered and this is creating turmoil in the market."

Attentions will now turn to whether Trump's policies will follow through on his election promises, which experts believe to be damaging for the US economy.

Clinton has paid the price for a campaign which was accused of a lack of transparency, particularly surrounding her use of a private email server while serving as secretary of state.

Trump 'seeks common ground'

In his surprisingly conciliatory victory speech at the Hilton Hotel in New York City to a cheering crowd of supporters, Trump talked about binding "the wounds of division" and said to opponents across the political divide that he was "reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so that we can work together".

In view of his staunch nationalistic stance in the campaign, the billionaire also softened his foreign policy stance as the cold light of reality dawned, saying to "all people and all other nations, we will seek common ground, not hostility, partnership, not conflict" and that "we will get along with all other nations, willing to get along with us".

Setting out his optimistic view on the economy, Trump reiterated his "great economic plan" included the hopeful expectation that America can "double our growth and have the strongest economy anywhere in the world".

Domestic infrastructure is a big focus for the property developer and he highlighted this again in the speech.

"We are going to fix our inner cities and rebuild our highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, schools, hospitals. We're going to rebuild our infrastructure, which will become, by the way, second to none, and we will put millions of our people to work as we rebuild it."

The divisive president elect concluded in optimistic fashion: "And I can only say that while the campaign is over, our work on this movement is now really just beginning. We're going to get to work immediately for the American people and we're going to be doing a job that hopefully you will be so proud of your president."